Archive for February, 2010

Just the other day I was talking to a friend (I will call him Bob) about the USA’s Pledge Of Allegiance. Bob wanted to know why Atheists want to change the pledge. Can’t we just leave it alone? It’s part of our history and should not be changed. I had to tell Bob that it was the christians that changed it. We just want it to be put back the way it was. It’s what Porky Pig would want.

It is also unconstitutional and causes harm. Bob did not think it could cause any harm. If someone did not like it – they could just skip the words. Today I see a story about a 13 year old that was yelled at by her teacher and mocked by the entire class because she did not participate in the pledge.

“The teacher in that class began to yell at her, began to shout at her,” said Ajmel Quereshi, the ACLU attorney representing the girl. “Other students began to jump in and mock her when they saw that he was calling her names and calling her stupid. She was feeling embarassed so, not knowing what to do, she stood up.”

Well this brave little girl thought about it and had the courage and strength to stand her ground and stay in her seat for the next day. The police were called in and the student was told to apologize to the teacher. Well thank the FSM; the ACLU is on the case and can explain the law to the stupid, stupid adults.

…the ACLU insists the teacher should apologize and the school should use this incident “as a teaching moment to explain to the students that what happened was wrong,” said Quereshi.

Dana Tofig, a spokesman for the Montgomery County Public Schools, confirmed that the teacher violated school regulations and said the student will receive an apology.

It is so sad. I’m sure she means well and loves her son. However, she can’t see past her own stupidity. In desperation for hope she is hurting other mothers and children. She still blames the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine for making her son “sick”. If only someone could tell her that the one and only “study” by Mr. Wakefield has been withdrawn for fraud and unethical activities.

This fall Oprah will help Jenny spread the WOO with a new talk show. Jenny has promised to use the show to spread her message of hope (a.k.a. lies).

Here is a sample from the Time story….

It goes something like this: in McCarthy’s world, there is scientific truth and there is emotional truth. There is the fact of a mother looking into her son’s eyes and knowing something has gone very wrong and the fact of about two dozen studies showing no link between vaccines and autism. There is the truth of the parents and the truth of the doctors. And she believes that some truths are more equal than others. “She’s a mom,” says her boyfriend, actor Jim Carrey. “That’s what she is. That’s her truth.” It all sounds so reasonable, expressed by the charming, gamine Jenny McCarthy. And this is what makes her dangerous.

and this….

McCarthy began to try almost every treatment that turned up on Google. Evan went through conventional, intensive Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy as well as a host of alternative approaches, including a gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diet, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, chelation, aromatherapies, electromagnetics, spoons rubbed on his body, multivitamin therapy, B-12 shots and a range of prescription drugs. McCarthy says she made a deal with God. “Help me fix my boy,” she prayed, “and I’ll teach the world how I did it.”

You can also check out this site that shows the number of children hurt or killed by Jenny’s efforts. Jenny McCarthy Body Count.

The lawsuit was filed in 2004 after the Salvation Army required workers in government funded programs to sign a document that said they will “Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

“This agreement protects the religious freedom of all New Yorkers who rely on faith-based organizations for crucial government-funded social services,” NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said. “Our taxpayer money shouldn’t support religious indoctrination of anyone – particularly children. And no one should be subject to proselytizing because they need foster care, adoption, child care or HIV services. This settlement ensures that religious organizations may not preach to people who receive government-funded social services or discriminate against them based on their religious beliefs.”

DUH! We have to go to court to get this basic right? It’s bad enough that churches demand a 10% fee for your soul, but the Salvation Army wants to hold your job ransom. If you don’t agree with them – bam – you’re unemployed! Make sure you never put money in their little buckets at christmas time. Give it to a good cause instead.

It’s good that the courts have worked in this case. The sad thing is that it took 6 years. This is why we cannot give any government money to religious organizations. They cannot resist the temptation to impose their beliefs on others. They always have and always will.

This is the skeptic event of the year! I will be going and I hope that some of you can join me. Events start Thursday and go until noon on Sunday. It’s a long weekend of thinking and drinking. This will be my 4th TAM and I can hardly wait.